Mechanism for controlling the operation of knitting-machines



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1'. W. H. STEWART.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF KNITTING MACHINES.

PatentedMar. 25, 1890,

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

, W. H.-STEWABT.

MECHANISM FOROONTRIOLLING'THE OPERATION OF KNITTING MACHINES. No. 424,231. P117. .Patent'ed Mar. 25, 1890.

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(No Model.) v a Sheets-Sheet a. W. H. STEWART. MECHANISM FOR: GONTBOLLING THE OPERATION OF KNITTING MAOHINES.

No. 424,231. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVALTER H. STEWVART, OF FRANKLIN, NE\V HAMPSHIRE.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,231, dated March 25, 1890. Application filed August 26, 1889. Serial No. 321,930. (No model.)-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER I-l. STEWART, of Franklin, in the county of Merrimac and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Controlling the Operation of Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to means for controlling the operation of the cam-plates or cam-cylinders of knitting-machines.

It is the object to provide an improved friction-c1utch mechanism, whereby one or the other of two pulleys by which the cam plate or cylinder is rcciprocated, as in narrowing and widening, and by which the machine is operated at different speeds, may be connected with and released from the driving-1 shaft.

It is also the object of my invention to pro-' vide improved means whereby the speed at which the machine is driven may be automatically changed, as when it is desired to pass from regular circular knitting to widening and narrowing or heel and toe work in the manufacture of stockings, and from work of the latter character to that of the former.

My invention is applicable to all knittingmachines of the circular class, though, as hereinafter described, it is particularly adapted for application to the machine shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me and respectively numbered and dated as follows: No. 397,444, dated February 5, 1889. a

My invention consists of the construction and relationship of parts or combinations of side view of my improved friction clutch mechanism; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the split ring, hereinafter described. .Fig. 7 is a detail view of a lever employed to expand the split ring, also referred to hereinafter. Fig. Sis an enlarged detail view showing disk with cam and lower levers for operating the speed-changing pulleys. Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional plan view thereof.

In order to avoid complication and to simplify and render clear the explanation of my improvements, I have omitted illustration of old and well-known parts of a knitting-machine, having nothing to do with my invention, and confined the drawings to such parts as I have reformed or modified and improved.

In the drawings, a designates the frame of the machine, and b is the cam-plate, a fraction only of which is shown, the edge e of which is beveled and toothed, and which toothed edge is engaged by a bevel-gear d on the shaft 6, so that the cam-plate may be rotated in one direction or the other, according to the direction of rotation of shaft e. Two pulleys f g are arranged on shaft 6, so as to turn loosely thereon, and said pulleys are op erated in opposite directions, a clutch mechanism being arranged between them, so as to connect one or the other with the shaft 6 and so operate the cam-plate, as before explained.

and described in my aforesaid patent.

My improved friction-pulley or friction- I clutch mechanism is best shown in Figs. 4, 5,

6, and 7, in which figures is shown a grooved pulley (which may be supposed to be either pulley f or pulley g) loosely arranged 011 shaft 6. Said pulley is provided on one side with an annular groove h, in which is placed a ring 1', split or divided transversely, as at j, to admit the flat part It on the end of a stud Z, the shank of which is made round and is passed through a hole formed through a disk m near the periphery thereof. The ring 7} is so constructed as to fit the groove h of the pulley, but-not so as when inits normal position to be boundthereto, and disk on is made fast on shaft 6. The stud Z extends beyond the face of disk m, and to it is fastened the lever 01 by a set-screw or other suitable means. The lever n is provided on its free end with a laterally-projecting finger 0, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, and '7. Both pulleys f and g are organized. and equipped as has just been described, such equipments being on adjacent sides of said pulleys.

On the shaft 9 between the pulleys f and g is placed a collar p, splined upon the shaft so as to be longitudinally movable thereon, but so as to turn therewith. The collar 19 may be moved longitudinally on shaft 6 by means of a lever q, the free end of which extends'into a groove. 0" of the collar 1), said lever being secured to an arbor s, to which is also secured a lever t, the free end of which extends out;

projecting finger 0 of lever 01, moving the free end of said lever outward and turning stud Z and its fiat part 70, extending between the ends of the split ring 1', so as to expand said ring and cause it to bind in the groove h of the pulley and cause the latter to turn with the disk on fast on shaft 6.

ward the pulley f, said collar will pass from under. the finger 0, belonging to the equipments of pulley g, so as to allow the split ring of said pulley g to contract and the latter to run loose on shaft e. In this way the camplate may be reciprocated, as it is necessary it should be in the performance of some kinds of knitting.

Another feature of my invention consists of means for automaticallychanging the speed at which the machine is driven without stoppages, and this will next be described. A disk a is secured to the end of arbor v, which disk has an intermittent movement in predetermined time imparted to it from shaft 6, through the medium of gearing which actuates pawl w, arranged to operate on ratchetwheel :0, which moves the pattern-chain y, and actuates the arbor 1;, all as described in detail in my aforesaid patent. The disk a is provided at a proper point on its periphery with a cam z of such form as to adapt it to move inward toward the axis of disk 11?, a

pin a projecting laterally from a lever b',fulcrumed at c to an arm or pitman (Z, the pin a being arranged to travel on the periphery of disk a when not engaged by the cam z. The lower end of arm (Z is loosely connected with the inner end of a lever e, secured WVhen the collar 10 is moved away from the pulley (say the pulley g) with which it has been engaged to at itsopposite end to a stud f, suitably journaled in a bracket or base g.. A lever h, similar to lever q, is connected at one end to the stud f its opposite free end engaging a groove in a collar d, splined on arbor j, on which arbor is loosely arranged the pulleys 7c and Z. Collar 11' is constructed and adapted to operate the same as the collar p on shaft e, and the pulleys 7c and Z are constructed and equipped in a manner similar to pulleys f and g. On arbor j is secured two pulleys m n, the former being connected by a' crossed belt with pulley f and the latter being connected by a straight belt with pulley g.

0 designates a power-shaft arranged at any suitable point, upon which shaft is secured two pulleys p and q, the former being connected by a belt with pulley 7c and the latter similarly connected with the pulley Z. Pulley q is of considerably greaterdiameter than pulley 19, so that as a consequence pulley k will be driven at slower speed than pulley Z.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, it is desirable in the operation of knittingmachines to run the machine at a slower rate of speed when the cam-plate or similar device is being reciprocated, as when heel and toe work is being knit, than when the camplate is being rotated, as when plain circular work is being produced; and it is to reach this end automatically, as before mentioned; that my improvements, now being described, have been provided.

WVhen in the rotation of disk a the cam 2' reaches pin a on the upper end oflever 17, said end of said lever will be moved inward toward the axis of the disk, and through the medium of levers e and h move collar 4; on

arbor j, so as to connect pulley Z with said arbor and cause the machine to be driven from large pulley g, at the higher rate of speed; but when pin a passes cam z and rides upon the periphery of disk 10 collar 71' will be shifted on arborj and the machine will be driven from the pulley p at the slower rate of speed, it being understood that the arbor j is rotated by the pulleys k and Z, respectively, from the pulleys p and q, as said pulleys 7c and Z maybecome connected with the arbor j through the medium of clutch-collar '5. When pin a becomes engaged by the cam z, the rotation of disk 10 will cease for the time being and the pin a in the cam-plate will be depressed or removed, so as not to engage the inner end of lever 25; but when the pin a prising my improvements without departingfrom the nature or spirit of my invention.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described a way in which the .of said pulley, a circular stud journaled in an aperture of said disk and having an inner right-angular portion extended between the ends of said ring, a lever secured to the outer end of said stud and having a finger at its a free end, and a sliding collar having a beveled end for engaging said finger, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the shaft and the cam-plate engaging therewith, having a pin a, the pulleys loosely secured on said shaft and having grooves in their opposite faces, the split rings loose in said grooves, the disks fast on said shaft adjacent to said pulleys,

studs 3' ournaled in said disks and having rightangular portions extended between the ends of said pulleys, the levers secured to said studs, the sliding collar on said shaft designed to engage said levers, and levers q t, for moving said collar, said -latter lever being operated by said pin u,'substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the intermittentlyrotated disk having a cam secured to its periphery, the lever having a pin bearing on said periphery and designed to be operated upon bysaid cam',the arm or pitman to Which said lever is connected, the levers e and h, the rotating shaft, two pulleys arranged loosely thereon, a movable collar operated by said lever h, and intermediate clutch mechanism substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 22d day of July, A. D. 1889.

WALTER H. STEWART. Witnesses:

EDWARD S. ADAMS, LOUIS M. CHILDS. 

